Things Change
by Hatochan
Summary: An alternate piece to Essays and Exams. A quiet moment between Iruka and Sasuke...


**Author's Notes**

- Thanks to everyone who humored me through my first Iru/Sas story!

- Enjoy ! ... hopefully :)

**Story Notes**

- **Iruka/Sasuke: **A different incarnation of Essays and Exams that fits into the TI universe :) Basically, it's a plot bunny that wouldn't leave me alone.

- The premise for this is as follows ( because it's too difficult to write an entire back story into one piece): Sasuke was brought back to Konoha when he was sixteen. For the past two years he has worked under Iruka as part of his probation, he is also allowed to take low level team missions after the first year. He was allowed to take the chuunin exam and passed, they are withholding jounin status exams until his probation is up. Naruto has already made jounin.

**Warnings: ** Coarse language, shounen-ai, LIGHT YAOI...

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto.

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**Things Change**

Iruka found him sitting in the classroom window, staring forlornly into the gray rain, pale fingers absently worrying the crimson pendant around his neck. The chuunin took a moment to admire the pretty picture. The lithe form was silhouetted against the subdued illumination, casting soft shadows over one side of his body. His haori laid open, a pattern of silver ribbons and fans snaking around the bottom hem of cerulean colored cotton, silver obi laying untied in his lap. Short pants in a natural wheat hue crinkled at the bends of his knees, one slender leg drawn up and pressed against the window glass, the other hanging off the wide ledge with his bare toes just touching the floor.

But, what Iruka found most aesthetically pleasing was how the boy's face seemed almost ethereal in the muted light coming through the wide panes, touching the milky skin and softening some of the sharp lines of maturity. _Still beautiful, even with the frown. _

He entered the otherwise empty room and approached the silent teen. " We've been looking for you, Sasuke. "

The dark haired young man remained quiet.

" Naruto is worried that you're angry with him. " Iruka tried again to gain Sasuke's attention, stopping less than an arm's length away from the occupied window sill. " Something about you walking out of the house without a word after he spilled your breakfast on the floor." The older brunette also gazed out into the dreary sheets of rain. The village hadn't been blessed with sunshine in nearly a week, the cloud cover constant, the rain intermittent. Iruka had to admit that he enjoyed such weather. It reminded him of stormy spring days spent under the thick boughs of a pine tree, a manga and a bag of senbei to while away the afternoon. A wet breeze wafted through the open upper window, gently caressing the tan and ivory flesh. It was incredibly refreshing. " And perhaps something about him confessing his feelings for you."

He knew the eighteen-year-old shinobi was listening to him; Iruka could hear the slight alterations in breathing, though he couldn't see Sasuke's expression. _Not that that would help. The boy's face is as inscrutable as ever. _But there had been a tiny hitch in the rhythmic inhale/exhale at the blonde's name. _Naruto's still one of his hot buttons, I see. _" He's with Sakura right now, searching outer Konoha. Kakashi is with Tsunade-sama, stalling for time with the Elders. Missing your appointment with them does not increase their confidence in you."

" Hn." Came the non committal grunt in classic Sasuke style. His fingers tightened their hold on the ruby-like orb hanging from a simple silver chain. It perfectly matched the color of the Sharingan and contrasted sharply with his black netted undershirt.

_At least he made a verbal response, of sorts. _A sable eye watched the gentle fidgeting, recognizing the necklace as a gift from Naruto. It was a symbol of acceptance, of forgiveness. Of love. Iruka hadn't seen Sasuke without it since his return to Konoha two years prior. " And episodes like this cause quite a scare among your friends, especially Naruto. " Iruka shifted on his feet, bringing himself closer to the window. " He's very upset and he's desperately afraid that you'll leave him again. "

Another silent lull, several heartbeats of hostage oxygen. Iruka let the statement sink in for some moments while he perused his own memories of the hectic morning.

He and Kakashi had been in a rather compromising position on the kitchen counter when Naruto burst into their house, frantic tears streaming down his whiskered cheeks. After abruptly pushing away from his husband ( married two years come August) and smacking the pale ass he had just exited to get the jounin to cover up ( which earned him a mismatched glare), Iruka hastily made himself decent and ran to comfort the kyuubi vessel. Slowly, but surely, the story came out between gasping sobs.

Iruka had known the day would come when his little boy would finally grow up and find someone to share his heart with. He'd realized early on that that someone would most likely be the dark haired Uchiha; if the teen could overcame his emotional retardation and pull the icicle from his ass.

" It's a bit overwhelming, isn't it? To know that someone feels so deeply for you." Iruka smiled to himself, the memory of Kakashi's confession warming his thoughts. " Were you surprised at Naruto's admission ?"

" No. "

_Well, a whole word this time. _The chuunin clasped his hands behind his back and continued in his soft voice. " Then why the sudden disappearance?" Iruka heard another tiny hitch in the teenager's breathing. " Are you confused about your own feelings?"

" Hn."

_And we're back to grunts. _Iruka sighed, bringing a hand to his face to rub a finger along the dark scar. He kept his tongue, however; after two years of counseling and watching over the ex-renegade's re-assimilation into Leaf, Iruka had discovered that if one gave Sasuke enough quiet the teenager would open up much more readily.

Iruka was not disappointed.

" Do you know when it first started? These feelings for you?" Sasuke's low voice was smooth and betrayed no strong emotion as he spoke in the direction of the glass.

A slow inhale. _I suspected as much. _" I believe you were about nine. The first year you were in my class." Iruka spoke just as softly.

The darker brunette pressed his cheek closer to the window, his hot breath creating patches of steam on the damp surface. " I remember stealing a kiss on the cheek after turning in a homework assignment. And holding your hand on a field trip. Your opinion and acceptance were the only ones that mattered to me. "

_There were several little ones with crushes, clinging to any adult that showed them the smallest amount of attention. But most of them didn't last very long. _Iruka glanced at the lounging teenager and smiled at the memories of the precocious child. A light misting of raindrops blew into the room and sprinkled his skin. A drop landed on the bridge of Sasuke's nose, leaving a wet trail as it slid down his face.

" When I returned to the village, I was unhappy that I had upset so many people; Naruto, Sakura, Kakashi-sensei... but your disappointment was what I feared the most. I just couldn't lose you." Slim fingers twisted the chain and rolled the pendant between his thumb and first finger. The obsidian eyes stared absently out the rain spattered glass.

_He never went farther than an arm's length away. He accompanied Naruto on every visit and stuck close to me at the missions room and the academy. He bristled every time 'Kashi touched me. Then he withdrew into himself, again, and I could hardly come near him without him flinching. _

" I didn't want to believe it when I found out that you and Kakashi-sensei were together. Not just together, but married. " The pendant was squeezed tightly within the pale fist. " I felt... betrayed. "

Iruka twitched at the cold statement. Despite his lack of responsibility, the chuunin felt guilty that he had been the cause of the boy's sorrow. _I wish I could have done more for him. _He curbed his desire to cuddle the unhappy chuunin; _He's no longer a child._

Sasuke's head lolled to the side to look at his former sensei, dark eyes staring up into the waiting face. His fingers dropped the glass pendant as the newly promoted chuunin rolled to his feet and stood toe to toe with Iruka in one smooth motion. Sasuke was only an inch shorter than the older man and the similar pairs of dark eyes were nearly level with each other. Loose tendrils of black hair framed the porcelain face, slipping free from the low tail tied at the nape of his neck with a ribbon.

Iruka's open expression deepened into one of understanding and encouragement.

A slender hand reached up, gliding along the line of Iruka's jaw. Sasuke tilted his head just enough to place his lips on the taller man's, barely touching, his warm breath washing over the caramel colored skin. Iruka made no move to pull away. He stood perfectly still, arms lax at his sides, while his former student pressed forward.

Dark lashes fell shut as Sasuke properly kissed Iruka. It was firm, yet gentle, and spoke volumes; an intense melancholy that melted into peaceful affection as the older man responded in kind. He remembered kisses like this from his childhood, slow and innocent with slightly parted lips and no hint of lust to mar their significance. And Iruka knew the significance of this kiss, without a doubt. Iruka's lashes lowered to half mast, his sable eyes keeping the angelic face in sight throughout the gesture. The academy sensei noted that Sasuke smelled vaguely of Naruto's fabric softener and kunai oil.

The lids eventually fluttered open and Sasuke slowly pulled away. Black eyes gazed solemnly upwards, a tinge of pink graced the rounded cheeks. Iruka smiled down gently and turned his head to nuzzle the hand sliding from his face. Their bodies remained very close.

_Quite the farewell kiss. _

Sasuke continued in his subdued voice. " I spent so many days and nights and weeks and months grieving for the loss of something that I never even had until that blond moron opened his big mouth this morning and spilled cereal all over the floor. " The tiniest of smiles tugged at the corners of his mouth, his dark eyes taking on a soft shine.

" And he looked at you with those big beautiful blue eyes and that little tremble to his lips and-" Iruka grinned back at the teen, his words light and tinged with laughter.

" - and I realized that I had come to love him without even knowing it." Sasuke finished. " It was something of a shock to realize that I had slowly been letting go of my selfish attachment to you and began developing real feelings towards the dobe. "

" So you were overwhelmed, like I said. " The scarred brunette chuckled. He suddenly bent his head forward, resting his forehead against the younger man's and touching their noses together. " I understand why you needed some alone time, this is a very important decision in your life, but if you don't get back and calm Naruto down... I'm going to make you pay for his consolation ramen. "

Sputters of laughter erupted from Sasuke as the teenager stepped back in order to regain his breath. " Then we should leave now. My bank account can't take that big of a blow." He took in a few steadying breaths and fixed his former sensei with a brilliant smile.

Iruka smiled back, dazzled by the first true display of happiness he'd seen on the Uchiha since he was small. A tan hand ruffled the black hair in a brotherly fashion. " You find Naruto, he's most likely searching the training grounds. I'll talk to Tsunade-sama and reschedule your meeting with the Elders. "

" Thank you, Iruka-sensei." The smile melted into a look of sincere gratitude. A pale hand moved as though to reach out, but fell back to his side. " For... everything."

Iruka's keen gaze caught the aborted move and he pulled the boy into a warm embrace, lips just brushing the side of Sasuke's throat. " We're all here for you, Sasuke. Remember that. " He released him after several moments and swatted the teen on the shoulder to get him moving. " Go on. " He watched as the dark hair swung through the air with Sasuke's movements, the teenager halfway to the classroom door before he paused and turned back to the older man.

" Are you going to tell Kakashi-sensei that I kissed you?"

" Are you going to tell Naruto?"

" ...yes...I'm going to tell him everything. " And with that Sasuke threw one last smile over his shoulder and flew from the room, ruby starlight fluttering behind him on its chain.

Iruka stood still, breaking his gaze away from the open doorway to encompass the window and its now empty ledge. His heart swelled with pride.

_No, he's no longer a child. _

_owari_


End file.
